Inside Jim Blum's Mind

October 24, 2005

A scary thought just in time for Halloween - the mysteries of Jim Blum's brain. Music blogger and critic Bob Rhubart talked with Jim about his life as a folk DJ, his unique criteria for picking songs, and the future of folk in a hip-hop world. Read the interview at blogcritics.org here. And, go White Sox (this statement not endorsed by the management at FolkAlley.com).

An Additional Way You Can Help Folk Alley During This Fund Drive

October 5, 2005

Have you already made your donation to Folk Alley? Well, here’s another way you can help us raise funds. During this drive, we have a $500 challenge going from two dedicated Folk Alley listeners and supporters - Donna Fox & Loren Smith of Northeast Ohio. They will donate one dollar to Folk Alley for every tell-a-friend message that you e-mail to your network of fellow folk music lovers. Help spread the love about Folk Alley! We need 500 messages sent by you to receive the full $500, and we still need 350 more messages sent before the end of the day on Saturday. Spread the word about 24/7 folk music on the web! We've made it easy for you -- just click here!

Be an Angel?

October 4, 2005

In July 2004, a very excited Jim Blum called me. He was simultaneously talking on the phone with Bob Zucker, a man we did not know but who was asking Jim how much he needed to contribute to Folk Alley to make a major impact on the success of that in-stream fund drive. Jim transferred Bob’s call to me, and the outcome became a significant part of our Folk Alley History. That outcome? A $20,000 gift to Folk Alley from Bob Zucker.

Some people would call Bob a “Venture Capital Angel”—and I would have to agree! You see, Folk Alley is a listener-supported, non-profit organization, and Bob clearly shared our vision about Folk Alley and our love of the folk music genre. When Bob decided to make this gift, I must admit that the staff was a bit skeptical about Folk Alley’s potential. None of us was completely certain that others shared our passion for folk music, but Bob proved us wrong with his $20,000 gift and a challenge to other Folk Alley listeners to match that gift.

Of course, very few people are in Bob’s position. But I now know that many folk fans and Folk Alley listeners share our passion, and I also know that those listeners have the ability to make a huge impact on the service that we provide to the folk community. Bob’s gift inspired all of us at Folk Alley. Through his challenge, he has also inspired others to come forward with their share of heavy lifting to make Folk Alley a reality.

I hope you are as excited about what Folk Alley can become as we are here at the radio ranch. We’re adding new announcers and are providing new services that will make visiting Folk Alley an even more enjoyable experience for all of us. Let your passion for the music guide your decision to contribute! We can keep this music alive, well and growing, but we can only do so much. The rest, my friend, is up to you.

Recently, I traveled to my adopted home in Nashville, Tennessee. I was at the Ryman Auditorium for the Americana Music Awards when Jim Lauderdale said to the audience “there is an angel among us.” That night, the angel was Emmylou Harris. But for Folk Alley, Bob Zucker is our angel, as are others who believe in this music. We need you to be an angel and make this drive a success. Time is running out and we’re not yet half way to our goal. We need your support to make this happen!